LIHEAP IM 2010-9 State Median Income Estimates for Optional Use in FY 2010
Transmittal No. LIHEAP-IM-2010-9 |
Date: May 12, 2010
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TO:
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LOW INCOME HOME ENERGY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (LIHEAP) GRANTEES |
SUBJECT:
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State Median Income Estimates for Optional Use in Federal Fiscal Year 2010 LIHEAP Programs and Mandatory Use in Federal Fiscal Year 2011 LIHEAP Programs |
RELATED REFERENCES: |
Federal Register notice dated May 12, 2010 (75 FR 26780-26782); 45 CFR 96.85 (b); The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Act, Title XXVI of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1981, P.L. 97-35, as amended. |
PURPOSE: |
To provide LIHEAP grantees the State median income estimates for Federal Fiscal Year (FFY) 2011. |
BACKGROUND: |
Section 2605(b)(2)(B) of P.L. 97-35 establishes 60 percent of a State's median income (SMI) as the maximum allowed in determining income eligibility for LIHEAP, except in States where 150 percent of the Federal Poverty Guidelines (FPG) is higher. According to this section, LIHEAP grantees may set their income eligibility guidelines anywhere between this maximum and the minimum of 110 percent of the FPG. The legislation that governed LIHEAP’s last two appropriations overrode the 60 percent-of-SMI limit and raised this limit to 75 percent of SMI. This change, however, applies only to Federal Fiscal Years (FFYs) 2009 and 2010. |
Content:
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The Census Bureau updated for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) each State's median income estimate for a 4-person family. HHS calculated 60 percent of such estimates and published the resulting figures in the Federal Register on May 12, 2010. For four-person households, LIHEAP grantees that use SMI may set their income-eligibility limits no higher than these figures—provided the FFY 2011 LIHEAP appropriation fails to override the SMI-based limit. (see Attachment A) . ATTACHMENTS: A—Federal Register Notice, published on May 12, 2010 (75 FR 26780-26782))
Peter Edelman, Program Analyst /s/ |